The Versatile Men’s Work Shirt – From Hawes & Curtis

How versatile is the work shirt? The Husband has a wardrobe full of corporate shirts in a variety of colours and stripes but they are worn on Monday – Friday only which, when you think about it, is a bit of a waste in terms of getting value for money from them.

We were recently introduced to Hawes & Curtis, a British clothing company for men and women with 25 stores in the UK and an online store.

Established in 1913, the company specialises in quintessentially British menswear and womenswear ranges, with stylish, good quality, value for money shirts, suits and accessories with over 100 years of heritage behind them.

They challenged us to prove that the humble shirt is a truly versatile garment and the Husband volunteered himself for the task.

The Husband’s work takes him all around the world and he’s a stickler for quality shirts that are comfortable to wear but look the part in the boardroom. But it also makes a change when he dons a shirt for one of our infrequent date nights or, more often these days, a family meal with Caitlin and Ieuan.

I think shirts do tend to get overlooked in favour of polo shirts and tees for men at the weekend and in the evenings, but a well cut and laundered shirt can make an outfit look more expensive and also have a slimming effect.

I liked that the collar came with a collar protector to keep its shape.

I loved the quirky red detail – little flashes of colour around the neck and the cuffs. Ties aren’t worn quite so much these days in meetings so it’s a great way of adding some extra interest to a suit and making it look a little younger and fresher.

We found the shirt to be true to size with enough room under the arms and with sufficient length in both the arms and the body. Comfort is really important when your working day is as long as Mat’s tend to be.

And the shirt works just as well when worn casually. Caitlin and Ieuan promised faithfully not to approach it with their chocolate ice-cream!

Time to start experimenting with the Husband’s other shirts, although there are some pretty funky designs on the Hawes & Curtis website. I think my chances of getting Mat in anything floral are a bit slim though. I might have a look for myself.

You can buy Hawes & Curtis shirts separately at a very reasonable price or save even more if you buy 4 for £100 – the retail offer which most of the menswear stores seem to offer. The shirt we chose costs £34.50 when bought singly or £25 as part of the offer.

For more information visit Hawes & Curtis online or you can find a list of their stores here.